Getting a handle on litter and snow shoveling downtown dominated discussion at Monday’s meeting of the Haines Borough Downtown Revitalization Committee. Committee chair Lenise Henderson Fontenot said making sure Main Street was clean was a “foundational” issue that needed to be addressed ahead of other projects. “Anything we do will be ruined by trash.” She cited cigarette […]
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Posted inNews
Pot or not: Borough takes up dope vote
Should the Haines Borough weigh in on a statewide initiative that, if passed, would legalize the recreational use and commercial sale of marijuana in Alaska? Assembly member Dave Berry Tuesday proposed a resolution opposing Proposition 2, the ballot measure Alaska residents will vote on during the general election Nov. 4. The assembly voted 4-1 to schedule a […]
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Seniors’ tax break costing borough $300K
Discount days at local businesses aren’t the only perks older residents enjoy. More and more property owners age 65 and older are applying for senior property tax exemptions, and that’s costing the Haines Borough. The borough estimates the state-mandated exemption will cost the municipality $310,000 in lost property taxes in fiscal year 2015, up from $270,000 […]
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Assembly to hear brewery deal
Haines Borough manager David Sosa and the Haines Brewing Company have reached a deal for purchase of 20,000 square feet of borough land on Main Street. The negotiated agreement will go to the assembly for approval Tuesday. Brewery owners Paul Wheeler and Jeanne Kitayama agreed to pay $4.33 per square foot for the property, totaling […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Packets available for office seekers
Haines Borough residents interested in running for Mayor or assembly can now pick up candidate filing applications at the borough administration office or access them online. Seats held by Mayor Stephanie Scott, assembly member Debra Schnabel and assembly member Jerry Lapp are up for grabs. The filing period opens Aug. 1 and closes Aug. 20. Scott, who will be finishing her first three-year […]
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Deals with rogue cops questioned
Assembly member Debra Schnabel is questioning Haines Borough agreements with a former police chief and sergeant, who resigned in exchange for the municipality’s agreement to not discuss complaints about their alleged abusive behavior. The borough negotiated such agreements with former sergeant Jason Joel and former chief Gary Lowe. Joel resigned in April 2011 after the department received complaints about […]
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Shops cry foul over sign enforcement
Portage Street business owners are squaring off with the Haines Borough over recent enforcement of signage rules on Fort Seward’s primary business route. Sarah Jaymot, owner of Sarah J’s Shoppe, came to last week’s Commerce Committee meeting to complain about a police order to move her sandwich sign off the Portage Street sidewalk. Scott Doddridge, co-owner of […]
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Assembly OKs idea of selling land to brewery
The Haines Brewing Company has cleared another hurdle toward securing 20,000 square feet of borough-owned Main Street property. The Haines Borough Assembly voted 4-2 Tuesday to uphold the planning commission’s recommendation to classify a portion of Lot 8 of the old primary school property as “for sale.” It also voted to direct the manager to proceed with […]
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Assembly ‘very pleased’ with new manager Sosa
The Haines Borough Assembly recently reviewed manager David Sosa’s first 60 days on the job, but failed to give any details on the assessment. The assembly voted 5-0 at its June 10 meeting to enter into executive session to review Sosa’s first two months with the borough. Mayor Stephanie Scott summarized the 30-minute discussion in one sentence, saying the general […]
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Discussion of trailer includes removal plan
Discussion about the Haines Borough’s decision to buy a trailer and site it behind municipal offices isn’t over. Questions raised last week include the trailer’s permanency and how a utility pole got to be installed next door. The assembly recently approved purchase of the $12,500 trailer to house public facilities director Carlos Jimenez, who […]